A-Z of IR: E is for 'Eurocentrism' and F is for 'Failed States'
Inspired by the British Academy’s focus on Engaging the Public with Humanities and the Social Sciences (2023), in October 2024, Adrian Gallagher (Leeds) launched an A-Z in International Politics online and free of charge. This 26 part series over 26 weeks introduces key concepts such as A is for Anarchy, B for Balance of Power, C for Cooperation and so forth. They are released on Instagram (Prof_Politics), TikTok (Professor_Politics), LinkedIn, and YouTube (@ProfessorGallagher).
In the first few months alone, Instagram generated more than 38,000 views, 2000 interactions and 1200 followers, TikTok 22,243 views, YouTube over 1000 views, and LinkedIn around 10,000 views.
This week we look at the letters 'E' and 'F'.
E is for 'Eurocentrism'
When thinking about international politics, do we consciously and/or subconsciously draw on Western experiences and Western ways to judge the non-Western world? Critics utilise the concept of 'Eurocentrism' to analyse this idea.
Critics claim that democratic peace theory could be seen as Eurocentric because the theory taps into historical notions about the democratic 'West' being civilised, and the non-West being barbaric. What democratic peace theory overlooks is that many democratic states often go to war with non-democratic states.
Some uphold cultural relativism and the idea that each culture has its own logic of appropriate behaviour. Opponents suggest it is not necessarily Eurocentric to say that there are universal truths if we can scientifically prove that some practices are harmful. We could think about the treatment of women in some societies. On the other hand, some societies might suggest that the availability of weapons in the U.S. is distinctly 'uncivilised.'
How are your views and values shaped? How might they be different if you were born in another part of the world?
F is for 'Failed States'
When we describe places like Afghanistan as 'failed states', critics argue that this term can be 'Eurocentric', or even racist.
The term 'failed state' became prominent in the post-Cold War period as institutions like the World Bank and United Nations began to focus on the complexities of crises within states, rather than inter-state wars. States became measured and ranked, with the ones at the top viewed as healthy, stable, and secure, and the ones at the bottom seen as failed and in need of external intervention.
Critics believe the term implies these states failed themselves, rather than observing the impact of Western powers, colonialism, and global institutions that may have helped bring these conditions in the first place. The term allows these actors to distance themselves from their responsibilities in creating these conditions.
When hearing the term, it is worth reflecting on who is using it, and how and why they are using it. This may reveal the politics behind the label.
We're taking a short break over the holidays, but the series returns in January 2025 with the letters 'G' and 'H'!
Photo by Robert Stump on Unsplash
